One for the Road

There are about 8-billion different items that are appropriate, fun and commonly sold to the hotels and travel market. From keycards and staff uniforms to gift baskets and GPS systems, there is almost no limit to applicable product for these markets. So many choices however, can lead to sputtering, cluttered brainstorm sessions and other fun forms of productivity-stomping option paralysis.

If you're stuck on travel-appropriate items to try, take a look at some of these tested-and-true item categories below. At the very least it will help steer your creativity where it needs to go, and at best you'll have planned and sold a great promotion.

TOWELS
Why choose them: Not only do they have a big, colorful imprint area, towels are so durable and such commonly kept items, they make excellent choices for souvenir items. After all, as Anthony Romano, creative director for Pro Towels Etc., Pittsburgh, asked, "When was the last time you threw a towel away?" He pointed out also that towels are one-size-fits all, a gift of simplicity that is always welcome.

What you can do: "To commemorate an annual event, 105 towels were decorated with the Buddy Cruise logo," said Romano. "The beach towels were a souvenir item that was given to the attendees when they arrived in their cabins," he explained. "The color-on-color imprint allowed for a unique portrayal of the logo. The towel itself became a great keepsake for the event and could be used when the attendees returned home for many years to come."

TRAIL MIX
Why choose it: Versatility. Margaret Dengler, marketing manager for Mid-Nite Snax, Mineola, N.Y., explained that it's healthy, lasts longer than more conventional snacks, and can be creatively mixed or packaged (think packing inside drinkware or making event-themed mixes such as Christmas or Tropical Getaway), making it a flexible item suitable for a lot of different promotions.
What you can do: "The Fort Worth Texas Visitors Bureau used our trail mix in a header bag to promote the city of Fort Worth as a great tourist destination," said Dengler. "Their artwork claimed that 'Fort Worth Texas is a trail worth following.'"